A pathologic study on changes of pancreas, liver and kidney due to Teucrium polium extract in streptozotocin induced-diabetic rats

This study initiated to evaluate the pathologic changes of pancreas, liver and kidney in diabetes rats treated with T. polium. In an experimental study, the crude extract of T. polium was administered orally to a group of streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats for 6 consecutive weeks. The control healthy rats and the control diabetic rats received distilled water. Tissue samples were routinely processed and stained with H&E and PAS. Significant decrease in blood glucose, increase in serum alkaline phosphatase and insulin secretion were observed in treated diabetic rats. Histopathologic study of diabetic rats revealed reduction in the number of pancreatic islets as well as their number of β-cells and insulitis (inflammation of pancreatic islets) with lymphocytes infiltration. Regeneration of pancreatic islets and β-cells, along with a reduction in the number of infiltrated lymphocytes, hepatitis with hypertrophy and hyperplasia of Kupffer's cells and infiltration and sequestration of polymorphonuclears and tubulointerstitial nephritis with focal necrosis were present in plant extract-treated diabetic rats. The plant extract seems to be capable of regenerating the islets of langerhans in the treated rats compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Severe changes due to the plant extract in organs such as liver and kidney could explain increase of alkaline phosphatase activity. Further works are required to explore exactly the mechanisms of islet regeneration by the plant extract its side effects.